Best maker of wooden roller coasters?

[RIP Psyclone]

I was going to make this a poll, but there are way too many to list, or at least try to remember.

 

Your vote would go to:?

[kraken613]

GCI

Ever woodie of theres ive been on are awsome.

Except Gwazi something wrong happened with that one.

[ahecht]

Intamin.

 

Okay, the only coaster of theirs that I've ridden is El Toro, but it outclasses every other wooden coaster I've been on.

[chmilo24]

Gravity Group, GCI, and Intamin

[spaceace12]

Gravity Group. Bullit looks awesome as does Hades, and Voyage owns all (in my mind)

[kewlcoasterdude]

Elford Inc.

[TexTitan01]

I honestly think that if you are looking for a traditional, airtime filled, just plain fun woodie: Great Coasters Inc. is the way to go. I've been on most of their coasters and I can honestly say I havent been on a wooden coaster that I've had as much pure fun on. Voyage and Hades are fun rides, but they're like uber intense, and are only fun for 2 or 3 rides; but I could ride Kentucky Rumbler or Lightning Racer allll day long.

 

But it is worth mentioning I havent yet done an Intamin woodie, so I dont know how those are

[Airtime&Gravity]

Intamin easily makes the best wooden coasters, and from what I've seen, GCI seems to be in second place. Gravity Group still needs a few years in my opinion, but they are quickly showing their maturity as a major company.(do you understand what I mean?)

[WillMontu]

I like Intamin and GCI (I even enjoy Gwazi, as crazy as that may seem, though I prefer Rumbler)

Balder > everything

[eltoro06]

I'd say my favorites are Intamin, GCI, and Dinn Corporation(I have been on Villian, Raging Wolf Bobs and Mean Streak, I know there rough, but I love them!)

[Evan1127]

Except Gwazi something wrong happened with that one.

 

It doesn't have Millennium Flyers.

 

Edit: I suppose I can answer the question and subjectively say GCI makes the best. Objectively speaking, though, knowing what I know in designing woodies (which I suppose is still somewhat subjective), GCI has the edge. They're also more accommodating to students than the others

[coreyml]

Roller Coaster Corporation of America

easily jk

 

 

i havent ridden an intiman (why is intiman underlined by spellchecker on this site?) but GCI is the best

Hades - VERY dissapointed. i dont see what yall like about it

Voyage is my #1 overall

but

Every GCI ive ridden = fun - and im a rare one who loves gwazi

Even KRumbler was fun - just small

but T head and even Renegade are top 5 woodies for me

[Guest]

GCI is making high quality, just plain fun rides. Kentucky Rumbler, as said, is one of those rides you can just keep riding and riding and still have fun on it, not be beat up, etc.

 

I did have a lot of fun on Voyage, but it's a different kind of fun. Way more intense, wild. Hades was good but overrated IMO.

 

The problem with Gravity Group coasters is that they're pushing them way too far. While it does make for a good ride expierence, they fall apart (Hades had jack hammering throughout the ride, and Voyage, while smooth, felt like it was ripping itself up in some places. It's turnaround was also retracked after it's first year, so yeah).

 

GCI is making fun rides that last (as far as I know Lightning Racer is still on it's first tracks, and still called smooth). So I say GCI for overall quality and just fun rides, Gravity Group for intensity (and if you don't mind them falling apart).

 

Haven't ridden an Intamin yet.

[yankees15]

It's between Intamin and GCI for me. I have only ridden one Intamin (El Toro) and 3 GCI (both Lightning Racers and Wildcat), but I think I'm going with Intamin on this one. El Toro was just simply mind blowing to me while all the GCI coasters were just plain fun.

[Axman]

Fredrick Church.

[pgathriller]

I'm gonna have to go with GCI. They made Thunderhead which is the #1 woodie ever made IMO.

 

Thunderhead Owns!

[MidtownCoaster]

I've gotta go with GCI. The amount of thrill, airtime, and just plain power they put in relatively small coasters is astounding.

 

I also have to say many of my favorites are the in-house designers. SFGAm's Viper and the Beast will always be in my top 5.

[nesdude]

GCI for Kentucky Rumbler alone. It's fast, smooth, and you could ride it all day and have a different experience each time. It's THAT good. I did not know that GCI made Gwazi, but I forgive them for that due to the awesomeness that is KR.

 

Oh, and Will - please burn that Gwazi shirt you own. A coaster that bad doesn't deserve a t-shirt.

 

-nesdude

[Janster]

GCI. I've ridden two (Thunderbird and Troy), but they beat everything else over here in Europe. My number three woodie is Stampida ("Custom Coasters International").

 

Intamin woodies are fine (Balder, Collossos). They are very intense, but they have some of the most lame layouts you can imagine. Look for example at Balder, it makes 180 degree turns and airtime hills... and that's it! Collossos is also way to predictable. I would think that with their prefabricated track, they should be able to include more twisty bits. Also, not the most elegant way to build a woodie.

[Bruno Lancetti]

The best taste and emotions of past "milestones" wooden coasters well combined with good design, speed, new high-banked turns and new comfortable trains is the right mix that only GCI could offer today!!! A small/medium sized wooden coasters company with a sort of "family approach/managing" could be considered the best way for a friendly relationship with customers.

[easytoremember]

Gravity Group.

Just look at their first two tries. Hades and Voyage. Enough said.

I was tempted to say GCII, because they have more coasters out, but I have been on three, Thunderhead, Kentucky Rumbler, and Gwazi. Say I even did not concider Gwazi, Gravity Group would still win out compairing these two coasters.

[cobra_roll06]

GCI! They're freakin' awesome!

[viking86]

I have only been on one from each company, but heres my top three list:

 

1. GCI (Thunderbird)

2. Intamin (Balder)

3. Vekoma (Thundercoaster)

 

IMO Thunderbird is by far the best of these three coasters, which makes it very easy for me to put GCI on the top. Vekoma would be in second if Thundercoaster had "good days" all the time, but unfortunately its running like crap some times which ruins some of the fun. So I'll have to put Balder and Intamin above it.

[STR8FXXXINEDGE]

GCI Baybeee!

No explanation needed.

[coasterchi]

Well, that's easy to say! Definitely GCII ! Intamin is just way to smooth, although i'm a big Inta fan , i just can't say less that there woodies suck. Okey, the airtime on there machines just rock and i love it, but there layouts just don't have any inspiration and are boring (without the airtime).

 

I don't know what you all like about GG, oke, there pushing the limits on woodies (i think even to far), but damn, i did The Voyage in April this year and i was lucky my teeth didn't fell out! That thing was rough! Jezus! I don't know about the other GG coasters, but if they are that rough, well, no riding GG for me then!

 

Nupes, GCII is the best builder in the wooden coaster industry i think. There designs are just great: nice twists, cool bankings, smoothness is just fine this way and the important thing: they are big fun! I have ridden Troy about a 151 times now, but it still not boring!

 

GCII just wins in my opinion